Those Were The Days

A Memory of Garndiffaith.

My name is Elaine Connors nee Pennington
I was born in 1948 and I attended Garndiffaith Primary and Junior school and later Abersychan. I lived at Hillcrest, my aunty lived in one of the prefabs with her garden overlooking Varteg Hill. Living on the Garn was a real experience in the winter as all buses stopped at Pontnewyndd and we had a long trudge home in the snow but everyone did this. We learnt to be tough, to queue endlessly for milk and bread.
The local sweet shops - Mr Peggington and Mr Carter were my favourites. 9d at the Garn Hall on a Friday night, and chips helped us walk up the hills home.
We were happy carefree kids. I worked in Girlings for almost 6 years until I got married and moved to Cardiff - I always remember the Garn with much fondness.
I was friends with Susan Boucher, Marilyn Price, Joan Grist and many others.
I am now approaching 65 and the Garn spirit remains within me.